Agenda and minutes

The Chair stated that the quorum of the Committee was three and that as only two members were present any decisions made would not any formal effect until the minutes of this meeting were confirmed by future committee meeting at which at least three members are present.

Members are asked to declare any interests they may have in the business on the agenda.

Members were asked to declare any interests they might have in the business on the agenda.  No such declarations were made.

The minutes of the meeting held on 5 January 2015 are attached and the Commission will be asked to confirm them as a correct record.

The minutes and agenda of the Committee’s meetings can be found on the Council’s website at the following link:-

http://www.cabinet.leicester.gov.uk:8071/ieListMeetings.aspx?CId=784&Year=0

RESOLVED:

that the minutes of the meeting held on 5 January 2015 be approved as a correct record, subject to confirmation of these minutes at the next meeting.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any petitions submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no petitions had been submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer to report on the receipt of any questions, representations and statements of case submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Monitoring Officer reported that no questions, representations and statements of case had been submitted in accordance with the Council’s procedures.

The Director of Local Services and Enforcement to submit a report on a review of the Driver’s Topographical Knowledge Test.  The Committee previously asked for the existing topographical knowledge test to be reviewed, and the report outlines the requirements of the existing test, what a revised test could cover and suggests how the introduction of a revised test could be implemented.

The Committee will be asked to :-

a)         Approve the proposed revised test;

b)         Consider whether there are any additional items to be included in the test, or whether some items need to be approved.

c)         Approve a consultation exercise with the hackney carriage representatives and the existing private hire operators.

The Director of Local Services and Enforcement submitted a report on a review of the Driver’s Topographical Knowledge Test.  The Committee had previously asked for the existing topographical knowledge test to be reviewed, and the report outlined the requirements of the existing test, what a revised test could cover and suggested how the introduction of a revised test could be implemented.

RECOMMENDED:

a)         That the proposed revised test be approved;

b)         That Thorpe Astley be added to the list of villages listed in Appendix 2.

c)         That a consultation exercise with the hackney carriage representatives and the existing private hire operators be undertaken by the Director of Local Services and Enforcement and that a further report on the consultation be submitted to a future meeting.

The Chair stated that he had agreed to take an item of any other urgent business in the form of a presentation on the Leicester City Alcohol Summit that was held in December 2014.  He felt that it was important for members of the Committee to receive the presentation before the next meeting of the Committee.

Julie O’Boyle, Consultant in Public Health, gave a presentation on the Leicester Alcohol Summit that was held in December 2014.  A copy of the presentation is attached to these minutes.

In addition to the comments made in the attached presentation, the following comments were made:-

a)         The Summit had been jointly organised by the Assistant City Mayor Neighbourhood Services and the Deputy City Mayor and had been attended by a number of stakeholders involving representatives of the licensed trade, health, local businesses and police.  The summit had discussed how they each could play a part in the process in contributing to the health and wellbeing objectives in the ‘Closing The Gap Strategy’ involving the reduction of alcohol consumption.

b)         The 60 delegates had considered each of the 5 strategic themes of the current alcohol harm strategy in a workshop setting, and each workshop had been asked to put forward 3 key actions from each of the themes considered.

c)         A report was being produced on the outcomes of the summit and this would be circulated to Members when it was finalised.

d)         Several groups had mentioned the benefits of awards schemes for licensed premises.

e)         Some local authorities have reviewed their Licensing Statement to see if they could strengthen statements relating to health and wellbeing, even though this wasn’t a statutory licensing objective.  Improved monitoring was now being developed.  For example, when people were attending A&E for an alcohol related injury or assault; they were being asked where they had been drinking.

f)          An Action Plan of priorities was being developed and The Alcohol Harm Reduction Delivery Group of the Safer Leicester Partnership would be monitoring future progress of the Action Plan.  The Partnership comprised representatives from the Police, Primary and Secondary Health Care and other interested stakeholders.  A strategic group had been set up to reduce street drinking and to review the support provision to street drinking.

g)         Public Health were consulted upon licensing applications but were unsure how to respond to them.  It was suggested that when the improved monitoring data on hospital treatment was available, if there a particular licensed premise was prevalent in the monitoring, it would be relevant to raise this.  If a licence was reviewed the Police could also refer to incidents of crime and disorder outside premises if this was recorded.    

Following the presentation the following comments were noted:-

a)         Officers were considering whether the Council’s Licensing Policy could contain statements relating to the sale of high strength alcoholic drinks in relation to premises that were known to be used by street drinkers.  Although this could not be included as a model condition, the policy could make a recommendation that such a condition be considered when an application was received.

b)         The Licensing Policy could be reviewed in the future with the aim of strengthening statements relating to health and wellbeing. 

RECOMMENDED:

That the presentation be received and Officers consider amendments to the Licensing Policy and report back to future meetings where  ...  view the full minutes text for item 37.

The Chair declared the meeting closed at 6.13 pm